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5 Quick & Easy Home Improvements for New Homeowners

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Every single house that I have ever lived in we did some kind of renovation to. Whether it be big or small home improvements can change a house to fit exactly what you need and want. So with that in mind, I put together a list of five simple and easy home improvements for the most used rooms in the home. Sometimes it is not about finding the perfect house, but rather creating the perfect home for you and your family.

…Besides when someone compliments your new cabinets, you can say, “thanks, I did them myself.”

1. Update Kitchen Faucet and Cabinets

The kitchen is and has always been the heart of the home. With a few simple improvements, you can update or change the look of this highly used room in a matter of a couple of hours, or a weekend. A fresh coat of paint will cover years of wear and tear as well as replacing the ugly old faucet with the one that you thought looked fancy when walking down the isle of Home Depot while looking for the boyfriend that went missing somewhere in the power tool department. Oh wait was that just me?

If you are looking for a dramatic change, Rust O Leum has a 5 step kit that will transform your kitchen cabinets from old and splattered in kitchen grease to new and refurbished. This process is fairly easy for new do-it-yourselfers. It’s as easy as reading and following the directions. The outcome is well worth the 80 bucks that you spend on the kit. Brand new cabinets will set you back thousands. Even painting your kitchens old cabinet knobs can make a huge difference in the overall feel that your kitchen has.

2. Update Bathroom with New Fixtures and Decor

The other most used room in your home is the bathroom. Once again a fresh coat of paint will usually make all the difference in a space. In this area, you can change the wall hangings and find a shower curtain that suits the look that you are going for. I saw a shower curtain the other day that had a picture of a sloth on it. If that’s the look you are going for, just know there is a shower curtain out therefore you! But in all seriousness, the bathroom is in my opinion, one of the easiest spaces to update. It is usually a smaller space which means that the changes you make such as re-doing the vanity cabinets are greatly noticed. You can update all of the fixtures for cheap as well.

3. The Hallway Matters

No one thinks the hallway matters. Even if you have a small or narrow hallway, it can make a huge difference in how people see your home. But what really matters is how you see your home. This is my favorite place to hang all of my favorite family photos because every day when I walk down the hallway I can see all of those great memories and it puts me in a good mood. And if your hallway is large enough place a table and lamp in it to give it a warmer vibe.

4. A Room for the Family

I probably don’t have to tell you this, but one of the most important spaces in your home will most likely be the family room. This is the most lived in and communal space in the home, and one of the first things you see when you walk into your home. So a family room should be fun as well as comfortable. Furniture can quickly become outdated, so trade in the old sofa you have from your college days, you know, the one you found on the side of the road with a free sign, and you thought “holy moly I love free stuff.” Trade that in for a sectional where the family can stretch out and relax at the end of the day. No family room is complete without blankets, blankets everywhere!

Also, storage is always an issue when it comes to this highly used space, so try to find furniture with dual purposes. For instance, I found a coffee table that pulls up into a high table and I absolutely love that thing. I refuse to get rid of it for the functionality of it. When you live in smaller areas or homes things like this, become so necessary. If you don’t like the look of coffee tables, ottomans are a good alternative. They open up and allow you to store movies, games, more blankets.

5. Outdoor Living Space

To me, this is a house must. I don’t know what I would do without some kind of outdoor living space. So the most important home improvement project is what you do with your outdoor living space, whether is be a front porch or a small backyard area. When we talk about outdoor spaces the first thing that we think of is “firepit.” There are so many other options these days than the regular old fire pit. You can easily build one from a 50-gallon drum. My favorite was a simple stone firepit kit from Lowes. We have used that throughout the year, and it holds up well. Also, think about seating for your firepit. Comfortable seating for two to ten is important, and ideally, it does not have to cost a lot either. Yard sales are a great place to score outdoor pieces for dirt cheap. Items that you pick up from yard sales can easily be transformed with a new coat of paint as well; spray paint is .97 cents. They don’t even have to match. Pick colors you like and mix and match different colored pieces of furniture for outdoor spaces.

Conclusion

Many homebuyers walk through a house and see it exactly as is. But remember that most things can be easily updated or changed for fairly cheap. Keep an open mind about the different spaces in your home and get creative. Home improvement projects are great to make a house feel like home to you.

If you have any fun or easy home improvement ideas, comment them below, or tell us about the improvements you have already made. We would love to see or hear about them.

About The Author

As a native to Greeley, I am a typical Coloradoan with a love of the outdoors and Colorado culture. I am currently attending the University of Northern Colorado where I am completing my degree in Communications & English.

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